F.C.

Universitatea Craiova

History
The football history in the city of Craiova began in the year 1921, when the first teams were
founded: Craiovan Craiova and Rovine Grivia Craiova.
In the year 1940, the two teams from Craiova merged, resulting in one of the most successful
Romanian football teams in the Interwar period, FC Craiova, which was also the first team from
the city to win the Romanian football championship, in the 194243 season. However the title
was not officialized by the Romanian Football Federation, because of World War II.
Finally in 1948, Universitatea Craiova took life at the initiative of a group of students and
professors, a team which latter would become one of the most popular and successful teams from
Romania.

Craiova Maxima
In the 198283 season, the team recorded their most notable continental performance in its
history. Under the management of Constantin Oet and Nicolae Ivan, Universitatea Craiova
reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup, after defeating some of the best known clubs in
European football, such as AC Fiorentina (runners-up in Italian Serie A), Girondins Bordeaux
(France), and FC Kaiserslautern (Germany). In the first European cup semifinal ever played by a
Romanian club, Universitatea encountered Benfica (Portugal), two times European champions
and three times European Cup finalists. After two draws, the Portuguese side advanced to the
final on aggregate away goals. That generation of players was nicknamed Craiova Maxima and
included Ilie Balaci, Rodion Cmtaru, Costic tefnescu, Zoltan Crian, Ion Geolgu, Auric
Beldeanu, Costic Donose, Silviu Lung etc.

Universitatea Craiova after 1991

In 1991, Universitatea Craiova won for the last time the Championship and the Romanian Cup,
under Sorin Cru as coach. In the following years, Craiova became a middle-table team, with
rather poor performances. At the end of the 200405 season they were relegated to the second
football division for the first time in the club's history, returning to the first league after the
following season.

Exclusion from FRF

On 20 July 2011, the club was temporarily excluded by the Romanian Football Federation[2] for
failing to withdraw their dispute with former coach Victor Piurc from a civil court, as per
article 57 of the FRF statute which states that the Football Federation solves all the sports

lawsuits.[3] However, the article allows disputes regarding employment contracts to be

adjudicated in civil court.[4] The exclusion decision was approved by the FRF General Assembly
on 14 May 2012.[5] All of the squad players were declared free agents and signed with other
clubs.
An investigation was started by the National Anticorruption Directorate on 22 October 2011,
against the heads of the Romanian Professional Football League and of the Football Federation,
as well as against the Executive Committee members of the FRF, on charges of official
misconduct in the case of the exclusion.[6][7] The Football Federation, the Professional Football
League, and members of the Executive Committee reportedly had some of their properties seized
by the National Anticorruption Directorate.[8] On 14 May 2012, the Executive Committee
validated the temporary exclusion decision taken on 20 July 2011.[9]

Temporary re-affiliation
On 22 June 2012, the Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled that the exclusion of Universitatea
Craiova from FRF was illegal.[10] On 15 November 2012, the Court ruled that the validation
decision was also illegal.[9] Although the club was invited to sign up in the Liga II for the 2012
13 season,[11] the owner of the club refused this invitation.[12]
On 2 March 2013, the club announced that it filed a request to rejoin the competitions, starting
from the 201314 season.[13] It will play in Liga II. Universitatea Craiova officially rejoined the
competition on 27 August 2013, when defeated SCM Argeul Piteti in the fourth round of the
Romanian Cup, qualifying to the fifth round of the competition.

Final disaffiliation
In April 2014 the High Court of Cassation and Justice confirmed that the Romanian Football
Federation "acted in accordance with regulations and statutes in force when members voted to
exclude the club".[14]

Rivalries
FC Universitatea Craiova's main rival is FC Dinamo Bucureti. This rivalry started in the
seventies, when Dinamo denied Universitatea Craiova's first title in 1973. The rivalry was
amplified in 2002 and 2005 when Dinamo transferred an important group of players from
Craiova.[citation needed]
Other rivalry of Universitatea Craiova is also with FC Steaua Bucureti.